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Topic : 05/02 Missing

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Created on : Thursday, April 27, 2006, 07:08:59 pm

Author : DrPhilBoard1

Dr. Phil shines a light on missing children. Some are taken by strangers, but more frequently a parent is the one to snatch them -- too often with terrifying results. The search for two missing girls takes a Dr. Phil investigator inside a seldom-seen religious community where worshippers live what some call "a simpler way of life." Follow this story of child abduction by a father -- now a fugitive of the law -- who is living on the run with his two daughters, while their mother desperately tries to find them. Then, imagine not seeing your children for 10 years. Your 3-year-old is now 13, your 6-year-old now drives, and your 8-year-old is graduating high school – and you’re missing it all. John Clark is living this nightmare. Find out what happened and why his ex-wife is now wanted by the FBI. Join the discussion.

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Two missing girls

This show has not aired yet, so I'm not sure which religious group they belong to but Id hazard a guess that they are Amish from the pictures. It doesn't matter too much which group, Amish, Mennonite, Hutterite etc. The thing is that these groups live very well organized communal lives. Their religion is the corner stone of each group and the rules and laws of these groups differ from the mainstream of American life.

I dint know yet if this couple married in the secular world, but if they DIDN'T, if they married under the laws and rules of the community where the Father now lives, then the Mother KNEW that according to those rules..the children belong to the community !! NOT the parents alone..but the whole community.

Its not the way of those of us who do not live in one of these long established religious communities, but its their way and always has been. These are not "crackpot" people, they are very good citizens all around...they are just different.

Amen! Thanks

This show has not aired yet, so I'm not sure which religious group they belong to but Id hazard a guess that they are Amish from the pictures. It doesn't matter too much which group, Amish, Mennonite, Hutterite etc. The thing is that these groups live very well organized communal lives. Their religion is the corner stone of each group and the rules and laws of these groups differ from the mainstream of American life.

I dint know yet if this couple married in the secular world, but if they DIDN'T, if they married under the laws and rules of the community where the Father now lives, then the Mother KNEW that according to those rules..the children belong to the community !! NOT the parents alone..but the whole community.

Its not the way of those of us who do not live in one of these long established religious communities, but its their way and always has been. These are not "crackpot" people, they are very good citizens all around...they are just different.

Dint be too quick to Judge !

BJ

I could not have said it better myself. It is best to keep an open mind. Things are not as cut and dry as they apprear in 30 second to 1 minute snippets.

Question

Religion should not separate families

This show has not aired yet, so I'm not sure which religious group they belong to but Id hazard a guess that they are Amish from the pictures. It doesn't matter too much which group, Amish, Mennonite, Hutterite etc. The thing is that these groups live very well organized communal lives. Their religion is the corner stone of each group and the rules and laws of these groups differ from the mainstream of American life.

I dint know yet if this couple married in the secular world, but if they DIDN'T, if they married under the laws and rules of the community where the Father now lives, then the Mother KNEW that according to those rules..the children belong to the community !! NOT the parents alone..but the whole community.

Its not the way of those of us who do not live in one of these long established religious communities, but its their way and always has been. These are not "crackpot" people, they are very good citizens all around...they are just different.

Dint be too quick to Judge !

BJ

I disagree with your post that if the mother knew the rules of the community, the children belong to the community. The children belong to the parents, and in the case of divorce, the children should get to be with each parent. A child doesn NOT belong to a community.

I happen to be from an ultra orthodox community. Children are not kidnapped there, but if there is a divorce and one parent leaves the community, they go through hell to get visitation. It happens to be that I left the community together with my husband and son, but I have a friend who is divorced and is having a hard time getting visitation, and those friends that do have joint custody of their children have to be careful, often pretending to be religious, so the ex doesn't cause problems and try to disrupt the custody arrangement.

What if I had left without my husband? Just because my views on the religion I was brought up with have changed, I should be denied the right to raise my son? My son surely does not belong to any community! In fundamentalist religions this is especially true. Children are often married off young, before they have a chance to explore and find out if this is the life they want. Since birth control is out of the question in many cases, they have children quickly. What then? What happens if she/he wants to leave. Do they have to give up their children? That should not happen. Religion should never come between a parent and child, or between family in general. Unfortunately, life has taught me that that is all too often the case.

Dont make assumptions about something you know nothing about

You know nothing about this situation. They were married in mainstream religious ceremony, not Amish, Mennonite, etc.. The girls were not exposed to this way of life until they were divorced. He lost custody of those girls when he became involve with this group and chose stop sending them to school. He made the decision to change how they would be raised, without hie ex-wife's consent. He ran off with those girls, because he lost custody of them, due his actions.

05/02 Missing

It appears that there was a crime committed that will require retribution. I agree, however, that we should keep an open mind. Even though many abduct children with the intention of doing harm or for other selfish reasons it is possible that some are simply trying to protect the children from something that they perceive as harmful. When you enter in religious beliefs it becomes even more complex. I question the high profile nature of this case when there very well may not have been any real danger to the girls.

05/02 Missing

It appears that there was a crime committed that will require retribution. I agree, however, that we should keep an open mind. Even though many abduct children with the intention of doing harm or for other selfish reasons it is possible that some are simply trying to protect the children from something that they perceive as harmful. When you enter in religious beliefs it becomes even more complex. I question the high profile nature of this case when there very well may not have been any real danger to the girls.

May not have been in any real danger? THEY WERE TAKEN FROM THEIR MOTHER AND FROM THE ONLY LIFE THAT THEY HAVE EVER KNOWN! What kind of lies did he tell them? That mom does not love them or even worse, that she is dead or going to hell because she does not believe the way we do now? The man is a kidnapper hiding behind a religious group. He deserves to be put away along with anyone who is harboring him or hindering the mother from seeing her children.

05/02 Missing

It appears that there was a crime committed that will require retribution. I agree, however, that we should keep an open mind. Even though many abduct children with the intention of doing harm or for other selfish reasons it is possible that some are simply trying to protect the children from something that they perceive as harmful. When you enter in religious beliefs it becomes even more complex. I question the high profile nature of this case when there very well may not have been any real danger to the girls.

They were taken away to another country, their mother and family did not know where they were or what had happened to the girls.

missing girls

May not have been in any real danger? THEY WERE TAKEN FROM THEIR MOTHER AND FROM THE ONLY LIFE THAT THEY HAVE EVER KNOWN! What kind of lies did he tell them? That mom does not love them or even worse, that she is dead or going to hell because she does not believe the way we do now? The man is a kidnapper hiding behind a religious group. He deserves to be put away along with anyone who is harboring him or hindering the mother from seeing her children.

There was no intention to justify what the dad did. I was contrasting the high profile nature of the case with the prospect that the girls where not in grave danger. Remember, taking your children and moving to another country is not a crime. Joining a religious colony or group is not a crime. Indoctrinating your children with a certain faith is not a crime. It doesn’t matter how bad you think all that is, it is not criminal. He is charged with a crime because he is a non-custodial father who ran off with his girls. And as far as all the lies, telling them their mother does not love them and that she is dead or going to hell, well, I guess you can assume all you want.

The Father Abducted My Son, Too!

I am the mother of Jason Coates Aguero, born July 1, 1989. Back in 1990 his father Jose Angel Aguero took him from my arms in a drunken rage and drove off with him. I had been looking for Jason for years. Attorneys told me that Jose had an equal right to Jason since we never married. I believe Jose is with Jason in San Antonio Texas. Jose 's DOB is 7-7-62. Jose may have told Jason that I was dead. I am very much alive at 36 yrs of age. I have missed my son for many yrs. In taking Jason, not telling me his whereabouts, Jose has denied Jason the love of his mother as well as any help financially. Yes, Jason has a brother 3 yrs younger. Though I am divorced from his late father, his brother and I still have a mom-son relationship as well as financial support. I will buy him what he needs . These people need to realize that their selfishness causes alot of loss and pain to innocent children and their parents.